Injury Prevention Topics

Car Seat Safety

Pedestrian Safety

Bicycle Safety

We have gathered together a number of references related to trauma. Please feel free to use the links as needed. A couple of the links do not work from outside our facility, they are available to staff and physicians of VCMC and the Ventura County Health Care Agency only.

Electronic Resources:

• Trauma Policies & Procedures (Available from Ventura County computers only)
• American Trauma Society
• California Emergency Medical Services
• CDC Injury and Violence Prevention
• Emergency Nurse Association
• National Trauma Data Bank
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Safety Council
• Ventura County Alcohol & Drug Programs

Educational Resources:

• Upcoming Outreach Events 2012
• Trauma Educational Series 2012
• Trauma Newsletter

Trauma Structure:

• Trauma Rules and Regulations
• Committees

Trauma Book:

• Trauma Book 2009

Trauma Program Manager, Marie Pelkola: Marie has been an RN at Ventura County Medical Center for 30 years.  The first 10 of Marie's career was spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, caring for premature infants.  The following 16 years were spent in the Emergency Department, 4 of those as the Clincal Nurse Manager and the Disaster Preparedness Coordinator.  She has been the Trauma Program Manager at VCMC since 2013.  Marie received her Bachelor's Degre in Nursing from California State University Northridge in 1997.  She is currently pursuing a MBA/MSN at Grand Canyon University.  Her certifications include Trauma Nurse Core Course Provider, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Mobile Intensive Care Nurse.  She is a member of the Trauma Managers Association of California, The Society of Trauma Nurses, and Association of California Nurse Leaders.  Her role as the Trauma Program Manager, along with the Trauma Medical Directors and Trauma support staff, is to help ensure quality care for all trauma patients seen at VCMC.  This is accomplished by meeting all standards set forth by governmental regulatory agencies, the Joint Commission, and the American College of Surgeons, are met.  

Trauma Nurse Practitioner, Shannon Kaminski: Shannon received her Master's in Nursing from San Diego State University with dual concentration in Advanced Practice Nursing of Adults and the Elderly in addition to completion of a Clinical Nurse Specialist program in Acute and Critical Care. She holds National Board Certification and is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. As a nurse practitioner, she is dedicated to providing exceptional care to the traumatically injured patient while they are in the hospital and upon follow up at the outpatient trauma clinic.

Trauma Nurse Liaison, Gina Ferrer:  

Trauma Registrar, Den Yambao:

Trauma Registrar, Liz Luna:

Outreach Coordinator, Elena Gutierrez: Community Health Worker for 3 years. Certification and training include: Life Crisis Intervention, Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for alcohol and drug use and abuse, Girls Circle Facilitator training, Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and Instructor. Education: A.S Degree in Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, B.A. in Psychology. Completed Emergency Nursing Association’s Prevention Leadership program: Strategic Thinking on Prevention of Injury (STOP).

Orthopedics: Emily Benson, MD, FACS
Orthopedics Trauma Fellowship, Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Specialists, San Diego, 2005 - 2006
Orthopedic Surgery Residency, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 2001 - 2005
General Surgery Internship, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 2000 - 2001
Doctor of Medicine, Boston University Medical School, 1996 - 2000
Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Brown University, 1991 – 1995

Anesthesia: David Fishman, MD
Anesthesia Residency, LAC-USC Medical Center, 1987-1990
Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, LAC-USC Medical Center, 1985-1987
Internal Medicine Residency, LAC-USC Medical Center, 1983-1995
Internal Medicine Internship, LAC-USC Medical Center, 1980-1981
Doctor of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. 1976-1980
Bachelor of Science, California State University, Long Beach, 1973-1975

Pediatrics: Todd Flosi, MD, FAAP
Pediatric Residency, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University, 1999-2002
Doctor of Medicine, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, 1995-1999
Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1989-1993

Emergency Department: 

Neurosurgery: James Herman, MD, FACS
Neurological Surgery Residency, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 1989-1993
Neurological Surgery Residency, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 1987-1989
Internship, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 1986-1987
Doctor of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 1986
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology, University of the Pacific, 1982

Radiology: